Peter Slipper says he withdrew UAP nomination

FORMER federal speaker Peter Slipper denies he was booted out of Clive Palmer's United Australia Party only hours after joining, saying he withdrew his application.

Confusion surrounds the circumstances of Mr Slipper's brief flirtation with the UAP.

Mr Palmer's party last night said it had cancelled Mr Slipper's membership hours after declaring the former Liberal turned independent had joined the UAP's ranks.

“Under clause D26 of the constitution of the party, a majority of foundation members have decided that the membership for Peter Slipper has ceased forthwith,” said a statement posted on UAP's website.

But Mr Slipper denied being tossed out of the party, saying he withdrew his nomination to become a member after after he was “invited” to join the party.

“I was unaware that any announcement was being made today of my possible involvement with the party and I regret that this occurred without my knowledge,” he said in a statement released by his office.

“I wish Clive Palmer and the UAP well.”

Earlir yesterday, Mr Palmer had said he didn't have a view about Mr Slipper becoming a member.

If an Australian citizen makes an application to join the party, is not a member of another political party and doesn't have a criminal conviction, they must be permitted to join, Mr Palmer said.

“In Australia you can't discriminate against someone based on their political convictions, good, bad, or otherwise,” he said.

Asked if he was happy to have Mr Slipper join the party, Mr Palmer said, “I didn't say that at all. I haven't got a view on it.”

He said he had known Mr Slipper as a passing acquaintance for 40 years, meeting when they were both members of the Liberal National Party (LNP) in Queensland.

They had not discussed his decision to join the party, Mr Palmer said.

A UAP spokesman had earlier said on Saturday that having a federal MP join the party proved it had reached the next level of interest, and would make the process of registering the party much easier.

The two major parties had made it very difficult for competitors to establish new parties, he said.

Mr Palmer needs to register the party with the Australian Electoral Commission by Monday to be eligible for the September 14 election.

Mr Slipper served as the speaker of the House of Representatives from November 2011 to October 2012, when he resigned amid allegations of fraud and sexual harassment.

His former staffer James Ashby alleged that Mr Slipper had misused Cabcharge vouchers, but no criminal charges have been laid.

Mr Ashby's sexual harassment case against Mr Slipper was thrown out by Federal Court Justice Stephen Rares, who found Mr Ashby's predominant purpose for bringing the case was to pursue a political attack against his former boss.

Mr Ashby had worked with fellow staffer Karen Doane and LNP member Mal Brough to advance the interests of that party and Mr Brough, Justice Rares said.

Mr Ashby is appealing against Justice Rares' decision.

Mr Brough has been preselected as the LNP's candidate for Mr Slipper's Queensland seat of Fisher in the federal election.

If Mr Slipper, who was a Liberal MP before he turned independent, wanted to retain the seat, he would have to run against the nominated UAP candidate, Bill Schoch.

Mr Palmer endorsed Mr Schoch, the manager of his Coolum Resort, earlier in the year and he remains the favoured candidate for the seat.

“I invited every member of federal parliament publicly to join the party and from that perspective it's good that one of them has,” Mr Palmer had said.

“Julia Gillard should reconsider her position and so should Tony Abbott. I'm calling on them both to join the UAP and bring the country together, do the right thing for a change.”

Mr Palmer said the party wanted to create more jobs and build a stronger economy by reducing taxes.

The UAP intends to field candidates in all seats at the September 14 election.

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